Do you remember being younger and learning “adult” words?
That’s the way I was with the word cornucopia. I remember being in first and second grade when the teachers would put out the Thanksgiving decorations with the Pilgrims, turkeys, corn stalks and the horn-of-plenty.
They would have pictures of a horn-of-plenty filled to overflowing like the one above. They would tell us how the Pilgrims nearly starved that first year in the New Land and from their friendship with the Indians they learned to grow good crops. They all celebrated together and enjoyed the plenty of their harvest.
Then there was third grade. Mrs. Griffin put out a horn-of-plenty and asked if we knew what it was. Lots of hands went up and we all responded with the same answer. It was then she told us that this was a cornucopia. Now, that was an adult word.
Nearly every year I put out my cornucopia and it reminds me of the wonderful plenty that God has given to me. My life is full and running over just like the arrangement.
This morning, let’s be grateful for “plenty”.
“Then all the people in that land will see that you are called to be the Lord’s people, and they will be afraid of you.
11 “And the Lord will give you many good things. He will give you many children. He will give your cows many calves. He will give you a good harvest in the land that the Lord promised your ancestors to give you. 12 The Lord will open his storehouse where he keeps his rich blessings. He will send rain at the right time for your land. He will bless everything you do. You will have money to lend to many nations. And you will not need to borrow anything from them.” Deuteronomy 28:10-12 ERV
The verses above are part of the summary of blessings that Moses told the Israelites God would pour out on them if they were obedient and followed the Lord. In one translation the word “many” in verse 11 is also listed as plenty.
God has promised that He would supply all our needs according to the riches that we have in Christ.
“ My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 ERV
When Jesus taught about giving. He said when we give we receive. That’s the way it is in farming. We give the ground the seed; we give the seed the water and the seed gives us a harvest.
“Remember this: The one who plants few seeds will have a small harvest. But the one who plants a lot will have a big harvest. 7 Each one of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You should not give if it makes you unhappy or if you feel forced to give. God loves those who are happy to give. 8 And God can give you more blessings than you need, and you will always have plenty of everything. You will have enough to give to every good work. 9 As the Scriptures say,
“He gives generously to the poor;
his goodness will continue forever.”
10 God is the one who gives seed to those who plant, and he gives bread for food. And God will give you spiritual seed and make that seed grow. He will produce a great harvest from your goodness. 11 God will make you rich in every way so that you can always give freely. And your giving through us will make people give thanks to God.” II Corinthians 9:6-11 ERV
That’s the way it is with God. We take what He has given us and with a joyful heart we give back. Then God multiplies what we give so that we always have plenty.
Today is a cornucopia day – a day of plenty. Plenty of gratitude, plenty of joy, plenty of peace, plenty of friends and plenty of what we have need of!
Thank you Lord that you are the God of plenty.
